It’s been seven months since 15-year-old Chase De Balinhard was shot and killed during an encounter with RCMP in his family’s Surrey, B.C., neighbourhood. With no report yet from the province’s police watchdog, his parents say they’ve been left with devastating grief — and too many unanswered questions. “The thing about losing your child is it’s very lonely, and the grief comes in waves,” said Chase’s mother, Crystal De Balinhard. “I might be having a conversation with you, but I don’t hear a word you say. I’m somewhere else with my boy.” The loss of Chase, who was on the autism spectrum, is hardest after dark, his mother says. “The evenings are the worst, because there’s no ‘Goodnight, mama,’ there’s no hug.” Calls for a coroner’s inquest The family has been pressing the B.C. government to call a coroner’s inquest — a public hearing that examines the circumstances of a death. Crystal believes it could help prevent future tragedies involving neurodivergent people. Former B.C. solicitor general and West Vancouver police chief Kash Heed says the province should act now. “I’ll tell you right now, if I was a solicitor general on this file, I would call a coroner’s inquest right away,” he told CTV News. Heed pointed to the 2008 death of Lisa Dudley in Mission, where he exercised ministerial powers to call an inquest while criminal proceedings were still underway. That process, he warned, stretched on for years. Heed doesn’t want to see Chase’s family burdened with years of uncertainty. Related: Dudley inquest recommends better training, follow-up to 911 calls “This government is doing everything politically on what decisions they make, they’re not doing the right thing,” Heed said. “Unless the media gets out there, the public gets out there and puts pressure on this government, they may not call an inquest.” Delays fuel frustration Watchdog the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) has yet to release findings. That delay, says Heed, is damaging public trust. “I’ve been frustrated with the IIO right at the outset, on the delay of getting reports out to the public,” he told CTV News. “I can understand they’ve got a resourcing problem … but when we have these prolonged delays in getting the information out to the public who have a right to know, we get frustrated.” Heed says the problem runs deeper than just this case. “Our entire justice system has a significant resourcing problem, whether it’s from an investigative point of view or other judiciary administration point of view. We’ve got resource issues that are not properly being addressed.” When it comes to Chase’s death, Heed says the impact of the delays is already clear: “Confidence is at an all-time low,” he said. “Right now, the credibility of so many organizations are in doubt.” Minister in charge responds Solicitor General Nina Krieger said the province is taking the case seriously, but is waiting for the IIO to complete its work. “This tragedy is heartbreaking for everyone, and is something the province is taking extremely seriously, underscoring the importance of the (IIO’s) investigation and also the changes that we are committed to making on the training front,” she said. Her office has not yet called an inquest, citing Section 18 of the Coroners Act, which automatically requires one only if a person dies in custody. Legal experts argue that doesn’t apply to Chase’s case, since he was not detained at the time of the shooting. When asked directly about Chase’s family’s request, Krieger said: “I’m glad to hear this request now for the first time, and it’s certainly something my office will consider very seriously.” Chase’s family says Krieger reached out to them, but only after CTV News passed on their contact information in mid-August, six months after his passing. Despite saying she would consider their request for inquest “seriously,” they say they have not heard from her office since. While a direct order from the minister would not expedite the timing of an inquest — it would guarantee that one would take place regardless of the outcome of any prior investigations. Calls for transparency and stronger mental health supports Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko isn’t mincing words about the tragedy, which took place in her riding. She says the province must be more transparent about changes to police training and invest in stronger mental health supports. Following Chase’s death, the former official opposition critic for public safety and solicitor general, who is also a former RCMP officer, told CTV News her concerns are rooted in both her policing background and her experience as the parent of a child on the autism spectrum. Training must evolve Sturko said Crisis Intervention and De-escalation (CID) training has long been a core part of RCMP training, but it is not a “perfect science.” “It’s more of an art. People do their best, and it’s really tragic when something happens where it results in either an injury or death,” she said. “The goal is always to resolve those without any injuries. Certainly, someone dying in an interaction is the worst-case scenario I would imagine for any police agency.” While she welcomed continuous improvements, Sturko said the provincial government has not been forthcoming about what updates are coming. “The government really hasn’t been clear about which parts of training it wants to change, or who they’re working with. When we’re dealing with such serious incidents, the public needs clarity.” Autism training under scrutiny The public safety minister at the time of the shooting, Garry Begg, and his successor, Krieger, have promised refreshed training that includes content on neurodivergence and autism spectrum disorder, set to be rolled out this fall. Sturko also criticized the lack of consultation with major advocacy groups. “It’s a huge concern that they haven’t contacted some of the most prevalent groups advocating for families and individuals with autism in B.C.,” she said. “The fact that they wouldn’t have had a voice is really concerning, and those are the types of things that erode trust.” Beyond police: A call for resources Sturko stressed that police should not be the only first responders available during a mental health crisis. She pointed to programs like Surrey’s Car 67, which pairs officers with psychiatric nurses, as critical models that need expansion. “It would be amazing if every jurisdiction had psychiatric nurses with police 24 hours a day,” she said. “But the truth is we don’t even have enough for hospitals, let alone for every police car. Our resources are stretched too thin.” Sturko said families living with profound disabilities or mental illness are being failed by the system, leaving police as the “last resort.” “Crisis doesn’t start the day police are called,” she said. “It usually started days, weeks, years before, where a person was declining and living without the support they needed. This government has the ultimate responsibility to make sure British Columbians have the care and support that they need.” Push for accountability Sturko echoed concerns about delays at the IIO, which is still investigating seven months after Chase De Balinhard’s death. “It’s horrific for families. As long as the investigation goes on, they’re frozen. The healing really can’t begin,” she said. Sturko says she supports the De Balinhard family’s call for a coroner’s inquest — but warned against empty gestures. “I am supportive of a coroner’s inquest, especially of the family and their desire to have answers,” she said. “But if we do have one, then there better be an expectation that this government implements the recommendations. Otherwise, you’re putting families through more pain without real change.” A family’s mission The De Balinhards say they are disappointed that they had not heard directly from the minister’s office until CTV News began investigating. For them, the push for an inquest is not about blame — but change. “Nothing is going to bring back Chase,” said Crystal. “But we could change the world a little bit because of Chase.” This is the final installment of CTV News’ investigative series on Chase De Balinhard’s death. Read all the coverage here.
